What Is An “Integrated” Marketing Campaign?
Marketing buzzwords are the worst … mostly used in conversation to distract or impress. Generally, the other side of the conversation has no idea what the word means, and they don’t want to ask because they either don’t care or don’t want to look stupid.
So, when we realized we were potentially using a phrase that was teetering on the edge of being buzzy, we decided not to be those people.
Besides a very ambiguous grouping of words strung together, an integrated marketing campaign uses multiple channels and touchpoints to reach an audience with the right message, at the right time and in the right place.
And they’re pretty darn effective. Think of this type of marketing campaign as the persistent friend that just won’t give up on you.
How to start an integrated marketing campaign
Recently, one of our D2C clients needed help driving sales during the peak selling season. The product they’ve created is an educational curriculum designed for homeschool families. These people are either looking for resources or researching what’s out there, and they are most active during the summer months. In an attempt to drive maximum conversions for our client, we had to fully understand the one person who would make the decision to become a customer: the mom.
The first touchpoint
She’s online, but she’s not searching for a “homeschool curriculum.” She navigates to a related website, maybe an article by a mom-blogger about how she decided on the right educational path for her children. She notices an ad for a homeschool curriculum that piques her interest. But she doesn’t click. That ad is the first touchpoint in this integrated marketing campaign.
This is not the moment she converts and becomes a customer. It’s only the beginning of her consumer journey. There will be several more encounters before she’s ready to buy.
A new channel
We don’t give up after one ad. The next time she hops online, we serve her a similar ad, but in a place where she’s more comfortable: Facebook. She clicks on the ad and begins to learn about the brand.
Who they are.
What they stand for.
About a curriculum built on academics and faith and character that many homeschool families value.
We’ve given the mom just enough information to create a desire to learn more, by signing up for our newsletter.
Now we get her name, identify her as a potential homeschool buyer and capture her email address.
Personalized guidance
From here, we’re acquainted. We can send her personalized information to help guide her journey. In fact, one of the welcome series emails is where she learns about different ways to homeschool. Video homeschool in particular appeals to her, so she visits the newly optimized landing page included in the email.
She’s tagged as a potential video homeschool customer. Next, we serve her a video-specific ad through paid social. We immerse her in the video homeschool experience on the custom landing page. She’s starting to envision herself as a video homeschool mom. Thinking, maybe I could do this …
But she’s not completely sold — yet.
A more direct approach
Now that she knows the brand and begins to trust it, we can safely try another route. A seasonally appropriate message with a more direct call to action. Now she’s really starting to research.
She’s looking at options and details. Her next online search is specific. It’s branded.
She’s served a Search Engine Marketing (SEM) ad and clicks. She chooses the appropriate enrollment for her child and begins to select the options she wants.
But then she abandons her cart. And that’s not uncommon.
Following up
Next, we serve her a Facebook catalog ad with the exact enrollment and selection she had been viewing, but she still isn’t ready to pull the trigger. So now we need to speak her language. And give her the incentive she needs. Savings.
Since she’s already on our contact list, she receives a couple of emails in her inbox. She ignores the first one, but not the second. She’s directed to a landing page where she samples videos, meets teachers and learns about the offer.
And one last try
If she still doesn’t buy, we serve the promotional offer again. With the product in her cart, she uses a unique promo code for tracking and, finally, completes her transaction.
It’s the same concept as building a friendship. Human beings need some sort of foundation and trust built before we go all in.
Consumers are human. They need a brand to try harder to win their business.
Truly integrated marketing campaigns do just that — they work harder to deliver what the customer needs exactly when they want it.
